Knowledge integration and sharing for collaborative molding product design and process development

This study presents a systematic approach to developing a knowledge integration and sharing mechanism for collaborative molding product design and process development. The proposed approach includes the steps of (i) collaborative molding product design and process development process modeling, (ii) an ontology-based knowledge model establishment, (iii) knowledge integration and sharing system framework design, (iv) ontology-based knowledge integration and sharing methods development, and (v) ontology-based knowledge integration and sharing mechanism implementation. The mechanism can support collaborative molding product design and process development by providing functions of knowledge integration and sharing. Results of this study facilitate the knowledge integration and sharing of collaborative molding product design and process development to satisfy the product knowledge demands of participants, and thus increase molding product development capability, reduce molding product development cycle time and cost, and ultimately increase molding product marketability.     

Knowledge management of product design: A requirements-oriented knowledge management framework based on Kansei engineering and knowledge map

For the knowledge management of product design, knowledge innovation is the foundation and motivation for the independent innovation and enhancing the core competitiveness. Most of the product knowledge exists in the brain of designers. How to obtain the required knowledge accurately in massive knowledge database becomes the key to knowledge innovation. However, the design knowledge based on consumer’s requirement has not been extensively studied. There is no consensus on the reasonable and effective implementation of the knowledge management framework to select the optimum design knowledge based on the consumer’s requirements. In this study, to efficiently realize the knowledge acquisition and knowledge selection, a requirements-oriented knowledge management model is established, with the advantage of Kansei engineering in knowledge acquisition and multi-objective decision-making in knowledge selection. Finally, the outdoor leisure chairs design is used as a case study to explain the implementation of the knowledge management framework. To reveal the advantages of the framework, it was compared with other frameworks. The results show that the proposed knowledge management framework is more efficient and provided a method of designers to acquire design knowledge based on the consumer’s requirements.     

Causal design knowledge: Alternative representation method for product development knowledge management

This paper presents a mathematical comparison of procedural knowledge and causal knowledge, and discusses the potential roles and feasibility of causal knowledge across product development knowledge management. Since reuse of knowledge is so important in product development, various knowledge management approaches have been introduced. Most of the product design knowledge is represented by procedural knowledge, which unfortunately requires cumbersome processes to define, and is typically inadequate for representing the kind of knowledge generated during the product development process. A causal knowledge representation, however, can help us to overcome this limitation and is an alternative formalism for representing product design knowledge. In this paper we compare the procedural and causal knowledge representations. We present the mathematical definitions of two knowledge paradigms, then mathematically describe the relationship between the two. Both knowledge paradigms are then compared based on the perspective of knowledge expression, decision alternative representation, reasoning capability, and knowledge cultivation. This paper concludes that causal knowledge representation is superior to procedural knowledge representation based on the four perspectives. Finally, the knowledge systems are modeled using Systems Modeling Language (SysML), and we present a case study that demonstrates the causal knowledge features using a realistic example from industry.     

A spatiotemporal information management framework for product design and assembly process planning reconciliation

This paper introduces an innovative framework for product design and assembly process planning reconciliation. Nowadays, both product lifecycle phases are quasi concurrently performed in industry and this configuration has led to competitive gains in efficiency and flexibility by improving designers’ awareness and product quality. Despite these efforts, some limitations/barriers are still encountered regarding the lack of dynamical representation, information consistency and information flow continuity. It is due to the inherent nature of the information created and managed in both phases and the lack of interoperability between the related information systems. Product design and assembly process planning phases actually generate heterogeneous information, since the first one describes all information related to “what to be delivered” and the latter rationalises all information with regards to “how to be assembled”. In other words, the integration of assembly planning issue in product design requires reconciliation means with appropriate relationships of the architectural product definition in space with its assembly sequence in terms of time. Therefore, the main objective is to provide a spatiotemporal information management framework based on a strong semantic and logical foundation in product lifecycle management (PLM) systems, increasing therefore actors’ awareness, flexibility and efficiency with a better abstraction of the physical reality and appropriate information management procedures. A case study is presented to illustrate the relevance of the proposed framework and its hub-based implementation within PLM systems.     

A conceptual framework for component context specification and representation in a metaCASE environment

A lack of design information can be a significant barrier for systems developers when developing and reusing a component. This paper tackles this problem by presenting and exemplifying the conceptual framework of component context and its hypertext representation in a metaCASE environment. It discusses the linking of contextual knowledge to components in systems analysis and design. The contextual knowledge includes the conceptual dependencies of component definition, reuse, and implementation, as well as the reasoning and rationale behind design and reuse processes. We also illustrate the hypertext approach to contextual knowledge representation that enables designers to express, record, explore, recognize, and negotiate their shared context within a metaCASE environment.

A risk management ontology for Quality-by-Design based on a new development approach according GAMP 5.0

A new approach to the development of a risk management ontology is presented. This method meets the requirements of a pharmaceutical Quality by Design approach, good manufacturing practice and good automated manufacturing practice. The need for a risk management ontology for a pharmaceutical environment is demonstrated, and the term “ontology” is generally defined and described with regard to the knowledge domain of quality risk management.To fulfill software development requirements defined by good manufacturing practice regulations and good automated manufacturing practice 5.0 for the novel development approach, we used a V-model as a process model, which is discussed in detail. The development steps for the new risk management ontology, such as requirement specification, conceptualization, formalization, implementation and validation approach, are elaborated.     

High Performance Knowledge Bases: four approaches to knowledge acquisition, representation and reasoning for workaround planning

As part of the DARPA-sponsored High Performance Knowledge Bases program, four organisations were set the challenge of solving a selection of knowledge-based planning problems in a particular domain, and then modifying their systems quickly to solve further problems in the same domain. The aim of the exercise was to test the claim that, with the latest AI technology, large knowledge bases can be built quickly and efficiently. The domain chosen was ‘workarounds’; that is, planning how a convoy of military vehicles can ‘work around’ (i.e. circumvent or overcome) obstacles in their path, such as blown bridges or minefields.

This paper describes the four approaches that were applied to solve this problem. These approaches differed in their approach to knowledge acquisition, in their ontology, and in their reasoning. All four approaches are described and compared against each other. The paper concludes by reporting the results of an evaluation that was carried out by the HPKB program to determine the capability of each of these approaches.     

Integrated product and process design: a multi-objective modeling framework

In this paper we present an analytical multi-objective framework for the concurrent design of product and processes. The objective is to simultaneously consider the tolerance specification on the product or the component dimensions along with the selection of the manufacturing processes. For this purpose we consider three objectives: to minimize unit cost, to minimize quality loss and to minimize manufacturing lead time. We characterize the properties of the non-dominated solutions. These solutions provide flexibility needed in an agile manufacturing environment. The min–max approach is used to obtain trade-off solutions.     

语义网环境下的知识集成系统设计

语义网近年来发展迅速,为网络环境下实现知识集成提供理论支撑和技术路线,可以为知识数据建立关联并增强系统的可扩展性。在资源描述框架下构建知识本体,采用Java语言和Jena API对知识集成系统进行设计和开发,构建知识集成框架实现知识内容显示和关联查询。系统设计突出了语义网的功能和特色,应用多种语义网体系技术和工具,提高知识集成系统的数据分析能力和用户体验效果。     

A framework to integrate design knowledge reuse and requirements management in engineering design

This paper presents a framework to integrate requirements management and design knowledge reuse. The research approach begins with a literature review in design reuse and requirements management to identify appropriate methods within each domain. A framework is proposed based on the identified requirements. The framework is then demonstrated using a case study example: vacuum pump design. Requirements are presented as a component of the integrated design knowledge framework. The proposed framework enables the application of requirements management as a dynamic process, including capture, analysis and recording of requirements. It takes account of the evolving requirements and the dynamic nature of the interaction between requirements and product structure through the various stages of product development.     

产品研发过程管理信息集成建模方法研究*

为了实现制造企业产品研发过程多目标全局集成管理和综合优化,提出了基于活动及其实现过程(ProA)的信息集成建模方法。建模过程中详细讨论了产品研发ProA数学模型、ProA信息模型设计策略、ProA信息存储方案和ProA基础信息模型。基于MVC提出了ProA的信息系统设计结构,为ProA信息系统设计奠定了基础。     

知识管理在信息系统项目中的实施及评价

随着知识管理的兴起,通过充分利用知识从而达到改善信息系统项目管理质量的目的愈加迫切,在信息系统项目中引入知识管理、构建新型信息系统项目管理机制成为大势所趋.在本文中,笔者首先阐述引入知识管理后的新型信息系统项目管理机制的内涵,其次就知识管理在信息系统项目中的实施进行分析,最后探讨知识管理在信息系统项目中的评价,旨在完善知识管理引入信息系统项目,从而有效加快信息系统项目建设.     

Process-centered knowledge model and enterprise ontology for the development of knowledge management system

Among many enterprise assets, knowledge is treated as a critical driving force for attaining enterprise performance goals. This is because knowledge facilitates the better business decision makings in a timely fashion. However, since knowledge is created and utilized during the execution of business processes, if knowledge is separated from the business process context, it does not lead to the ability to take the right action for target performance.This paper proposes the framework for process-centered knowledge model and enterprise ontology for the context-rich and networked knowledge storage and retrieval required during task execution. The enterprise knowledge object for a process-centered knowledge model is classified into two types: process knowledge and task support knowledge. In the proposed enterprise ontology, which represents major enterprise concepts, and the relationships between them, all domain concepts are related to the “process” concept, both directly and indirectly. As a result, networked and sophisticated knowledge, rather than single-level knowledge, is provided to the participant of unit activity.In order to show the applicability of the proposed framework, a process-centered KMS (knowledge management system) was also developed, which is classified into 3 parts: (1) project management sub-system based on process knowledge. (2) Knowledge management sub-system for maintaining task support knowledge. (3) Infrastructure sub-system which supports the above two sub-systems.     

P2P中基于本体论的知识管理框架模型及实现

为了将P2P中对等体的资源描述为结构化的知识,以提高资源共享,本文提出一个基于本体论的知识管理框架模型。从知识的建立和知识的检索两方面分析了模型的实现技术。探讨了相互协作的对等体按预定义查询模式和本体论匹配的语义技术实现信息搜索和知识获取的过程。     

需求导向的航空型号研制项目管理信息系统框架研究*

为缩小需求分析与系统设计和实现之间的间隙,采用以需求为导向的系统开发方法,识别了航空型号研制项目干系人中的重要角色,通过对研制项目协同计划、控制过程的分析,提出了项目管理生命周期各阶段面向角色的系统需求矩阵,在此基础上构建了分布式航空型号研制项目管理信息系统框架,并给出系统用例。     

Tracking product specification dependencies in collaborative design for conflict management

The main difficulty associated with a collaborative design process is understanding the product data exchanged during the design. Efficient and effective coordination of design activities relies on a thorough understanding of the dependencies between shared product specifications throughout the entire development cycle. This paper explores the linkages between the design process features and product specification dependencies, and suggests ways of identifying and managing specification dependencies to improve collaborative process performance. Using a UML (Unified Modeling Language) specification, we propose a process traceability tool to track the design process in an ongoing manner. Based on the information captured, the dependencies between specifications involved in the tracked process are identified and inserted in a dependency network, which is maintained throughout the design process. A set of mechanisms is then proposed to qualify the identified dependencies. Extracting and qualifying specification dependencies could be useful in many design situations; for example, during an engineering change management process to assess impacts and study change feasibility, or during a conflict management process to assist designers in resolving conflicts and maintaining the coherence of the design process (knowing that change management is a tool to conduct conflict management). Special attention is paid to the conflict management process. By means of a case study, we show how the solution we propose can assist designers during the conflict management process.     

基于XML与Web的产品设计知识表示与知识库系统

提出了一种新型的知识库系统。首先提出一种面向产品设计推理的语义关系标记集,该标记集可消除知识语句的歧义并保持原文的自然语言顺序,并为该语义标记集设计相应的XML标记。其次,提出知识文档标记方法、基于XML的概念及概念词典（本体）的定义方法。最后,开发新型知识库系统的原型系统,系统的运用显示新型知识库更易实现基于网络共享与维护。     

A context-based model for Knowledge Management embodied in work processes

Knowledge Management has become a prominent subject for organizations, but often the information that flows in a well-defined design work process is not characterized and treated in such a way as to promote its reuse. We argue that context is a fundamental information resource for improving how activities and interactions are understood and carried on. Our premise is that it is important for organizational learning that decisions, solutions, discussions and actions executed in work processes should be retrievable. We describe an environment that supports the cycle of creating and dealing with information about activities and interactions, focusing on their context. A formal ontology-based representation of context is presented to support the use of this environment. Two case studies are described and their results analyzed. The goal of this paper is to discuss and specify mechanisms that can be used to collect contextual information within such an environment.     

A case-based reasoning system development for statistical process control: Case representation and retrieval

Statistical process control (SPC) is a sub-area of statistical quality control. Considering the successful results of the SPC applications in various manufacturing and service industries, this field has attracted a large number of experts. Despite the development of knowledge in this field, it is hard to find a comprehensive perspective or model covering such a broad area and most studies related to SPC have focused only on a limited part of this knowledge area. According to many implemented cases in statistical process control, case-based reasoning (CBR) systems have been used in this study for developing of a knowledge-based system (KBS) for SPC to organize this knowledge area. Case representation and retrieval play an important role to implement a CBR system. Thus, a format for representing cases of SPC and the similarity measures for case retrieval are proposed in this paper.     

Business process management success framework for transition economies

This article presents business process management (BPM) framework, which considers the specific circumstances in transition economies. The analysis of 47 papers shows that in addition to common critical success factors, BPM adoption in transition economies should also consider factors such as environment, external stakeholders impact, ownership, and implementation context. The proposed framework contributes to the theory by offering a solid foundation for future research and to the practice by indicating essential constructs for effective BPM.